Almost Human
by DeathToNerdBerry
Summary: Furiae Asato and Yae Umomoto are new students to Karkura high. What connections might they have to the Soul Society? Fanfic collaboration. ON INFINITE HIATUS.
1. Welcome, Disaster

Ichigo sighed. It was another boring day at Karakura High school. There hadn't been any hollows about ever since he had defeated the Menos Grande. He sat at his desk, his gaze traveling back and forth from the window to the classroom. Rukia sat next to him, bored and twirling strands of her short black hair through her fingers. An overexcited brown haired boy and a tall tan boy then approached them.

"Ichiiiigooooooo!" The brown haired boy said as he glomped his friend "I have WONDERFUL news!"

Rukia and Ichigo looked up at the two with sudden interest.

"What news is that?" Ichigo asked,

"We have a hot new exchange student coming into **THIS CLASS!!!**"

The interest left Ichigo's face.

"Do you think about anything other than women, Keigo?"

"But Ichigo!" Keigo spazzed, "think about it! A new cutie in this class is exciting! Isn't that right, Chad?"

He turned to the tall boy with an eerie smirk about his face.  
Chad peered through the hair in his eyes.

"I guess so." He responded in a deep and almost emotionless voice.

Miss Ito then entered the classroom. "Everyone take your seats."

The boys rushed to their desks.

"Class, today we have with us a transfer student, please welcome Miss Furiae Asato."

The class leaned forward eagerly in their seats searching for this 'mysterious exchange student'. A few seconds passed by, then the seconds slowly morphed into minutes.

"Um…Teacher, there is no one here." Stated a miscellaneous student.

"I am aware that there is no-one present in the classroom." The Female teacher grossed, she then turned to the door and placed the hand holding the roll on her hip saucily.

" Miss Asato, please enter the classroom and introduce yourself to your classmates"

The Class jumped as they heard heavy breathing on the other side of the sliding door.

A hunched figure wearily entered the room she was a girl of about average height with dark red hair pulled back into a ponytail. The colour of her eyes remained a mystery since it seemed the texture of her shiny black shoes had captured their attention.

"My Name is Furiae Asato."

The class leaned forward as a collective whole to hear her voice that continued to get smaller and smaller.

_  
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. _

"You can call me Furiae, or if-f you want Fuu-chan…"

_  
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp._

" I like to-"

The class jerked their heads to the right sharply as the sliding door opened with a slam.

Everyone, except Furiae who looked agitated, stared, astonished at the figure that busted through it.

"Waiiit Pweaase! I'm in this class too!" The figure marched up to the teacher and thrust a note at her and promptly bowed.

"Teacher, forgive me for being late. I was held in my morning prayers to my rice god."

The teacher dropped the roll as a cold wind blew through the class. " Excuse me?"

The figure turned to the class and pointed to his chest dramatically. "I AM UMOMOTO YAE and I am honored to study with you this year." He placed his right hand over his heart as if pledging his undying loyalty. "From this day forward I promise to serve and honor class F-3 with all my heart."

"However," Yae wrapped his left arm around Furiae. "Any of you lay your hands on my precious Fuu-chan and I will kill you." Yae narrowed his pitch black eyes.

The sigh of the class was a sign that he had already created himself a prominent fan-base.

Miss Ito pulled herself out of her shock and scanned the contents of the student roster again before approaching Yae sternly.

"Yae, you are not on the roll for this class.

"B-but" he bit his lip and released Furiae so that he could instead poke his two pointer fingers together." I am destined to be in this class."

Yae took his right hand and dug through his pocket pulling out the crumbs of the fortune cookie. "My fortune says so."

The teacher snatched the fortune away and read it aloud,

"You can not give a man a fish, you must first teach him how to fish. Your lucky numbers are 4,7,3,5,18."

Miss Ito crumbled the cookie in her hand. "This does not say-"

"Um, Teacher, where do I sit?" the teacher blinked her face losing all of it's contours of rage fell.

" Oh Miss Asato, you can sit by Mister Ishida."

Furiae looked up and caught the eyes of the raven-haired boy. She blushed heavily and glanced down as she made

her way through the isles.

"Now Yae I can't make any promises but I'll discuss this matter over lunch with you. For now please-"

"How about right here Teacher?" The class started once more as Yae appeared in the seat behind Furiae.

Then the bell rang 

Yae Skipped merrily through the door until the claw of the teacher pulled him back roughly.

"Ack!"

"Now, I know you weren't trying to escape when we have some serious issues to discuss, Mister Umomoto." Miss Ito glared, a flame spluttering in the pits of her eyes.

Yae held out his hand and sobbed." Run Fuu-chan, save yourself!"

Furiae scoffed and turned her back on the eccentric teenager.

" It's your fault. If you would just have let me go to class by myself…" Furiae whipped her head around a jaunted down the hall.

Yae hung his head. "Look what you've done. Fuu-chan…my darling baby."

A solitary tear glittered the splashed gently onto the floor.

Furiae gripped the railing as she slowly ascended the stairs to the roof. The shy girl opened the door and squinted as the bright sunlight fell on her face. Furiae was disappointed when she saw that her classmates Ichigo, Ishida, Chad, Rukia, and Keigo already occupied the roof.

"Umm, I'm sorry I was just leaving."

The whole group looked at the petite girl. They heard a quiet voice say something then she backed away closing the door. Keigo sprang to his feet and ran to her.

" WAIT! Pretty laaady, please don't leave us alone."

Furiae whipped her head back and forth as if looking for something.

" Pretty lady?"

Keigo gave thumbs up and smiled charmingly. "Yes you're very nice."

"Keigo stop being a freak." Ichigo looked up from his sprawled position on the roof and took a sip from his juice box.

"But Ichigo!" the brown haired boy whined, "She's so pretty! Can't she stay?"

Ichigo ran his fingers through his messy orange hair.

"I don't care I-."

Rukia who was smiling had cut him off. "Why hello there!" She walked up to the shy girl in greeting. "I'm Rukia Kuchiki."

"Oh, umm, nice to meet you Miss Kuchiki." Furiae bowed politely. "I'm Furiae Asato."

Rukia had an expression of amusement on her face. She turned around to the rest of the group.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce yourselves?"

Keigo suddenly grabbed the coy redhead's hand and kissed it gently making her blush.

"I'm Keigo Asano. I could possibly be the man of your dre-"

The orange haired punk stood up and conked the manic brunette on the head.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. Ignore my friend Keigo. He's just a creep who flirts with every woman he sees."

"Ichiiiiigoooo," Keigo whined "how can you be so cruel to your best frieeeeend?"

Ichigo ignored Keigo's pleas and continued.

"That guy over there is Chad," he pointed to a buff, tan, and rather tall, boy whose hair shaded his eyes. The boy silently held his hand up in a charming and welcoming manner.

"And he," Ichigo pointed toward a secluded boy with glasses, "is-"

"Uryu Ishida" the boy said coldly. He turned to Furiae with an icy stare

"You should know my name by now since we sit next to each other in class."

"O-oh, yes." She replied, somewhat intimidated by Ishida's cold eyes. "It's very nice to meet all of you, really but I don't want to be a bother so I'll just be on my way."

She shyly began to back away from them until her back was against the door.

"Oh nonsense!" Rukia said dragging Furiae by the hand back toward them, with a smile still plastered on her face.

"Come and join us for lunch!"

Furiae looked warily at the group.

"But, I don't even have a lunch."

Ichigo took sip of his juice and then stopped as he felt glares on his back.

"What?"

"Ichigo, why don't you offer her some of your lunch?" Rukia answered Ichigo's glare with one of her own.

"Fine." A little bead of sweat ran down ichigo's face as Rukia's eyes hardened resembling two simering coals.

" All I have is this spare bento."

Ichigo produced the lunch box lazily.

**  
**_'WHAT THE HELL DOES HE MEAN THAT'S ALL HE HAS?!'_ was everyone, minus Furiae and Chad's, collective thought.

The bento had three levels stacked one on top of the other, and the outside surface sweated from the condensed steam

of the inside goods.

Furiae rubbed the back of her head.

"Um, it's okay, really. I usually don't eat lunch."

The group looked intently at the nervous redhead. Rukia then snatched the bento box and offered it to her.

"Oh please, there's no need to be shy. Eat all you want!"

"Wha? Hey! That's MY lunch you're talking about!" Ichigo scowled

"N-no I must really insist tha-Mmffm" She was suddenly muffled with a dumpling. Ishida had force fed it to her mouth

with his chopsticks.

"Your lack of confidence is annoying, it's polite to accept a gift when it's offered." He stared hard into the girl's light blue

eyes.

Furiae nodded her heads hesitantly and took the chopsticks after she chewed and swallowed the food.

"O-okay "

She bowed deeply to the stern boy, partly so no-one could see her eyes welling up with tears.

**WHAMP  
**

"Oh dearest Fuu-chan where be you!"

**  
**Everyone turned nervously away from the scene between Fuu-chan and Ishida and wearily watched as the happy figure

of Yae merrily skipped on the roof, his black hair bouncing excitedly." Fuu-chan guess what I can stay in the-" Yae stopped

dead and the roof became quiet.

"I smell tears."

Yae brought his head up and narrowed his eyes at the still bowing Furiae, then his eyes pratically

melted off his face as he glared at the person that she was bowing to.

Furiae erected herself quickly. "Yae, you see it's not-" she blinked in shock as Yae suddenly appeared with an arm

around Ishida's shoulder.

"Ahhh, I see Fuu-chan's making friends." Yae smiled happily with an almost insane edge to it .

**  
**"Fuu-chan you outdid yourself this time! This girl is the prettiest one I've ever seen. But I do not understand why she wears a boy's uniform." Yae squeezed Ishida's shoulders tightly.

Ishida smacked off Yae's hands. " You'd do well not to insult me or my honor. I am a man."

Yae scoffed holding his injured hand. "Are you sure about that? With your prissy manner I definitely had you pegged as a girl." He grinned."A girl that can't dress but one none the less."

"What is it with males and their egos?" Rukia asked herself while shaking her head as she watched from the sidelines.

"Hmmm, maybe when this is over I can get my bento back." Ichigo grabbed his head in pain as Rukia smacked him.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"Moron." Rukia crossed her arms and turned away.

"Kukkukuku, maybe Yae and Ishida can kill each other off and I can have the lovely Fuu-chan all to myself! Yes, very nice."

Keigo rubbed his hands and laughed evilly.

Ishida gritted his teeth." You should be one to talk. With your hair and physical stature you make an example of the ideal woman."

Furiae stiffened.

"WOW! Really? Thanks!" Yae clasped his hands together excitedly. "Fuu-chan, forget whatever I said. This person is super nice. You two must get married straight away!"

Ishida lunged forward and lifted Yae by the scruff of his shirt."Stop playing around!" he yelled. His glasses glinted

ominously.

"Wow, man calm down." Ichigo ran to his friend "No bento is worth this...well some are."

Chad almost made a move to intervene, however everyone stopped dead as they heard a resounding smack echo

along the chain link fence.

"Stupid! Why do you have to act like this! Ishida did nothing to me. I was being impolite and refused a gift. Stop jumping

to conclusions." Furiae's eyes watered and her bottom lip trembled as she stared down at the sprawled figure of Yae.

**  
**Yae rubbed his cheek tenderly, his eyes betraying his heart before he rose to his feet and promptly kneeled down in front of

Ishida.

"What the hell?" Ichigo reached Ishida's side and stared down at the flamboyant figure.

Furiae glared back at Yae as she walked to the door that led back into the school.

"I'm...I'm tired. I'm going home." She whispered

Keigo followed her to the door.

"Wait! You can't leave, its still school hours!"

Furiae pushed him out of the way and made her way through the door. Yae looked up from his position on the ground and

realized Furiae's disappearance.

"Oh no! My Fuu-chan is MISSING!" Yae flailed about worriedly.

"Wha-what am I gunna dooooo!?!?"

Ishida adjusted his glasses and turned his back on him.

"Hm. You should've treated her with more respect." He looked back at Yae who now had a frightened look on his face.

"She could be hurt, or dead, or even..." Yae's thoughts trailed into the darkest gutter imaginable. He suddenly sprang to

his feet.

He sprinted towards the door, but then stopped as he faced everyone on the roof and bowed.

"Sorry for the touble but I must go find Furiae now." with that he ran down the stairs.

Rukia outstretched her hand.

"Wai-"

However she dropped it seeing as Yae was already gone. A silence fell over everyone, most just trying to come to grips with what happened. Keigo shifted uncomfortably before balling his fists and jumping up.

"Hey what are we standing around for, we should help Yae search for Fuu-chan."

**  
**Ichigo shrugged his shoulders nochalantly. Rukia bit her lip worringly for a minute before looking up and nodding her head in comfirmation, Chad agreed and Ishida-

**  
**"No."

"B-but Ishi-chaaaan!" Keigo flew over to Ishida to try and glomp his arm, however he was held at bay by Ishida's hand.

"No, they came up here and disturbed us." Ishida used his free hand to push up his sliding glasses. "Further more we don't know them. Why must we extend them any services of help?"

**  
**

Rukia marched up to him and started to poked him in the chest. "I think the right thing would be to help them."

He released Keigo and making him fall to the floor.

"Once again, it's not any of my business."

**  
**Rukia scowled her features hardening sharply.

"Well, I didn't know it was a part of your honor code to make little girls cry."

**  
**Ishida's eyes widened slightly before relaxing again, and moment of silence passed.

"Fine, I will help search for the fool and his pet."

**  
**Keigo sprang to his feet

"ALRIGHT! search party!."

**  
**Ichigo rolled his eyes and sighed, " Keigo you need to go back to class and make up an excuse for us."

**  
**

Keigo visibly crumpled,"Bu-t-b-uttttt, I wanted to search for the pretty lady too!"

"Don't you think the teacher will get supicious if we all disappear suddenly? someone needs to give her some excuse."

"But Ichigo! What do I say?" Keigo held up his hands and started to wiggle back and forth.

Rukia, Chad and Ishida started to make their way out of the door, Ichigo shifted his eyes to glance at them, then turned them back at Keigo. "I don't know tell her that my bento poisoned everyone or something."

**  
**

With that he walked out of the door joining the search party for the shy girl and her eccentric guardian.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Aaachoo!" Orihime sneezed cutely, bringing the edge of her sleeve to cover her cheeks and watery eyes."Goodness, I just hate these colds."

**  
**She walked out of the store carrying her shopping bag full of Leeks, octipi, chocolate, and other miscellanious food stuffs.

Orihime glanced up at the stormy sky.

" Hmmmm. This is no good, it looks like it's going to rai-"

The bag fell onto the concrete spilling it's contents and Orihime landed on her butt.

"Owwie." she looked up to see who she bumped into.

Furiae blushed in embarrasment at the girl that she bumped into. She kneeled down and scrambled to gather all the spilled items." I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!!!"

**  
**Orihime smiled. "That's alright! Accidents happen." She began to recover her dropped items.

She looked up at the girl who had bumped into her. Orihime realized she was wearing the uniform of her school.

"Oh, you go to my school!" She exclaimed as she finished picking up her groceries and placing them back in their bags.

"Yeah, I just started going there today." the girl answered as she stood up.

"Well if you started school today then why aren't you there?"

"Well...I...needed some fresh air. And what about you? You're not in school either."

"I've got this nasty cold." Orihime sniffled. "But I needed to go shopping today so I'm trying to tough it out a little."

She sneezed lightly, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "So, I don't believe you've told me your name."

"Furiae Asato."

"Oh! That's a pretty name. My name is Orihime Inoue."

Furiae smiled a little. This girl seemed awfully nice.

"Nice to meet you Miss Inoue." She bowed politely.

Orhime grinned back. "Well I should be going now. I still have lots of shopping to do! It was nice meeting you!" She said as she walked away.

Furiae walked along for a few minutes. She looked at her surrounds and realized that she didn't know where she was, or where she was going.

"Oh no...I'm lost again." She sighed.

All of a sudden, a shiver ran down her spine. Furiae felt an immense pressure come over her body.

"N-no…not now..."

The sky became black as mask was formed around her face. Turning around the girl met face to face with a large black monster. It shared a similar mask as the one that had fashioned itself on her face.

"What do you want with me?" she growled at the beast, her eyes becoming a deep blood red that shone through the shell on her face.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ishida and Yae ran side by side, one looking down the alleyways the other looking into shops.

"I told you Ishida Furiae is more likely to go to the park, she doesn't like busy places." Yae growled angrily at him.

"And I keep telling you that the nearest park in to far for her to get to without her being spotted by a truent officer."

**  
**"So you think it's much less supicious if they see a highschool student walking around shops doing school hours?" Yae asked sarcastically.

**  
**"People would be more likely to believe that she is there with a mother or a father, having left the school early." Ishida stopped and asked a lady if she saw anyone that fit Furiae's description.

**  
**"Someone would have to have a family to lose them."

Yae looked up at the sky, and saw the dark clouds start to gather.

"That's not good, Fuu-chan doesn't do well in thunderstorms."

Ishida walked back to Yae's side.

"That lady hasn't seen Miss Furiae either."

**  
**"Ishida-Kun!"

**  
**Ishida whipped around to spot the person that called him, and he blushed heavily once he realized that it came from none other than Orihime Inoue.

"Ishida-Kun," Orihime jogged up to the both of them panting slightly as she tried to catch her breath."What brings you here today," she frowned slightly,"Hey, Ishida-kun aren't you suppose to be in class?"

Ishida coughed into his hand to try to hide the colour of his face," No miss Orihime, we are looking for someone." He gestured to himself and Yae.

**  
**"Oh!" Orihime stared at Yae like she just realized that he was there. "How rude of me I haven't introduced myself." She bowed,"my name is Orihime Inoue. What is your name?"

**  
**Yae dazedly looked at the cheery girl, "Hmm. Oh sorry, yes I am Umomoto, Yae Umomoto."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yae-kun."

Yae smiled slightly at Orihime before looking at Ishida.

"Ishida we need to hurry up and find Furiae before the thunderstorm hits."

**  
**Orihime's eyes widened.

"Do you mean Furiae Asato?"

**  
**Yae looked at Orihime."Miss, how do you know Fuu-chan?"

Orihime put one finger on her chin.

"Well, I bumped into her by Miss Aikio's store, the one at the end of the district."

**  
**Ishida watched as Yae got directions from her, then his heart started to beat harder.

_"No, I thought Ichigo and I took care of that tear."_ Ishida thought as he looked to where he felt the immense pressure.

_'"That's the direction of Miss Aikio's store!"_

He ran.

"Thank you miss Orihime--HEY wait Ishida!" Yae turned and yelled at the fleeing figure.

_**bum-bump**_**  
**

"No…" Yae's pulse raced as he began to run after Ishida

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**  
**Two masked figures stared at each other, until the larger one lunged toward the smaller one.

**  
**

"Not today!" the smaller figure rolled to the right making the larger smash into the side of a small shop.

"If I stay here this hollow might put other's in danger. Come-on think Furiae, think!"

The smaller hollow, now identified as Furiae, spotted an old cemetary and made a mad dash toward it. The large Hollow quickly followed after her.

**  
**"Damnit! Of all times why does a hollow show up now." Ichigo frowned as he ran to where he sensed the creature.  
Rukia frowned as she ran beside him.

"Why did you follow me anyway."

"Furiae is still missing. I can look while you go to defeat the hollow."

Ichigo shrugged and accepted the excuse.

"_It's because I have a bad feeling about all of this."_

Ishida skidded to a halt as he entered the cemetary.

"I know I felt it--aha!"

Ishida pulled back his arm and began to form his attack, straining slightly because he had not yet healed fully from fighting the Menos Grande.

The attack glowed a vibrant blue as it hit the large hollow's head. The hollow then howled before it dissolved completely. Ishida narrowed his eyes as he saw the smaller hollow, he pulled his arm back for another attack. Furiae's eyes widened behind her mask as the Quincy fired a bright charge of energy at her. She ran, dodging it, until she was backed against a tree. The hollow girl dove to the left as he fired another arrow at her. The attack hit the tree instead making smoke rise from the bark. Ishida chased after Furiae, firing an attack at her legs. His arms spasmed slightly making his attack's energy decrease. Furiae collapsed on the mulch covered ground. She turned and looked as his shadow fell upon her. Her heart beat even harder.

"No, this this is it. Mother….Father…Yae…I'm so sorry."

She closed her eyes tight not wanting to witness what was going to happen. Ishida stood over the hollow and pulled his arm back.

"This is it. Prepare to die you filthy beast." He said angrily before he releasing an arrow.

_**thump**_

Ichigo and Rukia stopped as they reached the cemetary.

"The Hollow is suppose to around here somewhere right Rukia?" Ichigo looked down at her. "Rukia?"

"N-no, somethings not right…" Rukia stared, eyes quivering in fear as she stared at one figure over the other.

"What...hey is that Ishida?" Ichigo brought his hand up to wave,"He-"

_**thump**_**  
**

Ichigo's eyes widened, his pulse going still. Rukia beside him tried to stiffle her sobs.

Furiae breathed heavily. "W-wait I'm not dead.."

She opened her left eye and saw the ground, "But, I thought I heard him release the attack."  
_  
_  
Furiae opened her other eye.Her vision began to fill with tears, and her breathing became ragged and hot,

"N-no!"._  
_

Ishida held his arms infront of him, almost as if they were frozen in place. "Yae...why."  
Yae smiled back at him blood spilling from his lips dripping down his chin to fall on the floor.

"WHY DID YOU SAVE IT!?" Ishida yelled bringing his hands down by his sides.

Yae tried to say something but gurgled on his own blood, he brought his hand to the hole in his chest, he collapsed infront of the hollow.

Furiae crawled to the figure of Yae,

"Dead, dead, DEAD!!!!"

Her body started to shake violently, Her hands coming to grasp the sides of yae's seemingly sleeping face.  
all became quiet….before she screamed in rage. Her body began to grow, her skin blackening and filling with sinew. Her limbs began to grow longer and her hair became a violent white.

Ichigo and Rukia appeared beside Ishida, Ichigo grabbed Ishida's shoulder,"what did you do!" all three of them fell to the ground when the figure released an earpiercing howl, they watched as it lifted the limp body of Yae off the ground.

**  
**Ichigo struggled to stand under the oppressive weight of the hollow's power, he pulled out his sword and pointed it to the hollow.

"Hey ugly put him down!"

The hollow turned it's sorrowful red eyes on the group of three.  
Ichigo moved as if he was about to attack, however he was stopped by Rukia's hand.

"No, Ichigo. Listen!"

Ishida stared at the creature that looked into his eyes.  
Rukia sitffled her sobs.

"Its--she's saying Yae...guys that's Furiae."

Rukia stared behind the hollow.

"It's..."

"What's the matter. " Ichigo and Ishida looked to where Rukia pointed and stared wide eyed as a door appeared out of thin air.

"Soul Society!"


	2. Stay, don't disappear

_**Why, do you care. I've always been alone, I'm a monster.  
**_

"_Not to me."_

**  
**

"Fu..."

"Hey I think he's waking up."

"Really? And I thought that is the way he snored."

"Little punk."

"Hey, shush shush! He's a patient."

"Fuu-chan," Yae wearily opened his eyes, his chest burning as he tried to take deep breaths. He looked up into the smiling and the relieved faces of those that cared for him.

"Where is she? Where is Fuu-chan? Wh-where is my Furiae?!"

Yae looked frantically at the faces of those who watched him. One of them wore a green and white striped hat and had blonde hair that helped to hide his eyes. The other was a young wide-eyed boy with flaming red, slicked back hair. The third was Ichigo.

"Relax," the man with the hat said, "You've been hurt pretty badly."

Yae jumped and grabbed the man by his collar

"Re-RELAX?! WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS FURIAE!?!?!"

Yae suddenly let go and clutched his chest. Blood began seeping through his bandages. He dropped to his knees, his long black hair flowing over his shoulders.

"Fu- Fuu-chan. Where...she just..."

Ichigo looked at the wounded boy then looked at the man in the hat.

"Well, you took a direct hit from Ishida's arrow after you jumped in front of her. Rukia and I brought you here to Mr. Urahara's shop because you were still alive an-"

"I don't care about that!" Yae interrupted, still holding his chest. "Furiae, tell me, is she okay?"

"Uh, well..." Ichigo began "Urahara, you tell him."

The man in the hat looked down with sympathy at Yae.

"She was taken away."

Yae's eyes went blank.

"Wha? What do you mean 'she was taken'? Who? "

"A captain from a place called the Soul Society captured her. They must have sensed her power."

Yae's breathing became heavy. He gripped the yukata that was around his body bringing it closer to himself, almost as if he had a chill. He started to snicker as he brought a shaky hand to run through his long hair, his snickering soon turned into full blown laughter.

Everyone jumped back.

"What the Hell, I think he's lost it," Ichigo looked nervously at Yae.

"Something's definitely wrong." Ishida murmured to Rukia who hastily agreed.

Yae whipped his head towards the voice, a grin distorting his face into that of a monster.

"It's _**YOU!**_ "

He lept off the bed and landed on the floor like a cat, his long hair falling about his face like a cloud. The boy peeked through the curtain of his hair.

"You know where Furiae is!!" He began to charge at the Quincy.

Ichigo tried to intercept however he was quickly pushed away. Yae slammed into Ishida and pushed him to the ground, gripping his throat with both hands.

"Tell me, where is SHE!?" he screamed at the archer, spit flying into his victim's face.

Ishida gagged and clawed at Yae's hands, trying to get him to release his hold. He bucked his hips trying anything to budge the person that was straddled above him. Rukia panicked and started to beat Yae on the back. She stifled a gasp as the yukata started to stain with blood and her hands quickly after. Ichigo rushed to help Rukia pry off the insane boy. Urahara just opened his fan and began waving it gently back and forth.

"Hmm?"

He walked so he was beside Yae and looked down at him to see black veins running through Yae's tensed hands.

"Tessai!" Urahara signaled to his shop assistant.

The big man nodded mutely as he walked to the other side of Yae and brought his meaty fist down on his head.

**THUMP****  
**

Ishida scrambled from beneath the prone figure of Yae.

Everyone visibly relaxed.

"I TOLD you that is was a bad idea to wake him up." The redhead pointed his finger at Urahara in accusation.

"Oh, sorry Jinta. My bad!"

Urahara's hat shaded his eyes from the others. If they would have seen his eyes they would have noticed them intently fixed upon Yae's unconcious body.

"What sort of fun we will have, Yae Umomoto…." He mumbled to himself with a grin.

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_**"Not to me."**_

_"Why do you care so much?"_

_**"Because I love you."**_

A prisoner scrambled along the floor of the cell as they heard the rusted door open.

"Master says that you should eat."

There was a woman's silhouette at the opening, she spoke in an airy and lifeless manner.

"I-I'd rather die first…" the prisoner snarled lunging foward enough to be jerked back by chains.

**  
**"You shouldn't try to do such things. Master only just allowed you to be taken down from the wall."

**"NEMU!"**

The woman jerked her head to the right. "It's master, he's calling for me."

The figure began to walk away.

"I won't like telling Master about your lack of appetite. He'll be very disappointed."

The figure caught the light which accentuated a short shinigami outfit and the purple hair caught in a braid.

**  
****"NEMU!!!!"**

**  
**The woman turned towards the stairs, "Master is angry." and she made her way briskly up them.  
The prisoner rose with the clattering of chains and gripped the bars on the window. She looked at the endlessly cloudly, night sky and began to sob.

" Yae…"

**------------------------------------------------**

Nemu gently placed her hand on the door to open it.

**SMACK**

She fell to the ground, where she stayed still as a doll.

"What took you so long! Every minute you waste is more time taken from my research!!" Mayuri screamed at his assitant.

He had a wild look about him, from the black mask accented by gold knuts to the white headdress.

"The council is considering putting her into normal prison and taking her out of my care, since I can't get any solid research!"

He walked over to his assistant and began to repeatedly kick her in the stomach. Mayuri panted from the phyisical exgertion of his rage. He adjusted his rumpled clothing and moved to regain his seat behind his desk

"So tell me, has my pet shown any signs of hunger?"

Nemu lifted her self off the ground and began coughing up blood.

"Well will you speed it up? I haven't got all day." Mayuri began to tap his fingers on his desk.

His injured assistant wiped the blood from her mouth and straightened herself out.

"The experiment still refuses to eat, sir."

Mayuri's face filled with displeasure. He brought his fist down on his desk, his eyes catching the flickering little souls in the jars to his sides.

"Fine, we'll just have to change our tactics a little."

He got up from the chair and walked up to his assitant and looked down at her.

"Well what are you waiting for? Come on!" and with that he left the room, Nemu slowly trailing behind him.

Furiae pulled on the bars of her cell window. If only she had enough strength to break them. She continued to violently pull on the window until losing her grip and falling back onto the cold cell floor.

"Damn it..." She muttered. "Yae, I have to get out of here. I'll avenge you...I will..."

The hollow girl began to shake vigorously, a small purple glow emitting from her body.

"YAE, I WILL...I WILL...I-"

Furiae stopped, shuddering in fear.

"N-no...I can't let it take over. I can't." she breathed.

The glowing light faded as she crawled over to a wall, her chains weighing her down. Tears fell from her eyes as she leaned her body against the concrete.

"Y-Yae..."

**"**_**Because I love you"**_

The hollow girl furiously scratched her nails down the sides of the wall, and then banged her head against it over and over until her forehead began to bleed. Her vision was starting to blur.

Then for a moment…all was black.

"_Where am I?"_

Furiae tried to get her eyes open, but it was as if something held them down.

"I was in the cell..." she tried moving her fingers as the coldness of the table finally registered to her sleep addled mind,  
"Move! Why can't I move!?"

She fluttered her eyelashes making them kiss the softness of her cheeks and let out a groan as the harsh hanging light above pained her eyes. She closed them quickly. There was a haggard breathing to her right. Furiae tried to even out her breathing, to make herself seem like she was asleep.

"So you are awake. Now, now there is no need to pretend to be asleep. I already saw the fluttering of your eyes."

Furiae's heart started to race, and the bottom of her palms became coated in a thin sheen of sweat.

_'I know that voice…'_ was the thought that she chanted in her mind.

She screwed her eyes shut. Thinking that she could will the voice away.

"Yes," Mayuri leaned down so that his face was level with the girl's on the operating table,"you are quite the specimen."

He drug his finger along the girl's jaw and gripped her chin harshly, so that the sound of bones grinding together could be heard," The delicate little insect that has all of Soul Society spun into a frenzy."

The girl tried to turn her head away from the mad scientist's cold yet blinding gold eyes only to be forced back by a rough hand.

"L-let go of me..."

Mayuri stared hungrily down at the figure on the table,"If you were mine I would cut you open and spill your beautiful insides on my table."

He rested his right hand on the knot that kept the girl's purple yukata from opening.

"Sadly you belong to the Soul Society. Your all is not yet for me to reveal." He undid the tie making the clothing part and show the pale flesh beneath it, "But some secrets will be mine to know."

Mayuri smiled wickedly and brought his cold flesh to rest on her belly. Furiae gasped, a chill running through her body.

"G-get away from me!" she began to squirm.

Mayuri brought his fake arm up and snapped his fingers,"Bring me my souku."

Nemu bowed and grabed a strange translucent tube from a table of equipment.

"You desired this master?" Nemu knelt beside him, holding the object above her downturned head.

Mayuri grabbed the item from her, his eyes never leaving the figure on the experimenting table

"Go and get me a soul, make it the one on the third shelf above my desk."

His assistant got up, bowed and left the room momentarily.

"Ah," Mayuri sighed as he brought the souku to his face, "I have heard disturbing reports from my assitant. She says that you refuse to eat the meals I so carefully prepared for you."

Furiae looked at the man in disgust. Her eyes filled with hatred, yet quivered in fear.

"W-what makes you think that I would eat..." her voice trailed off as she began to feel weak. "I would never-"

"Never eat a soul?" Mayuri interupted the girl, "Oh how strange, a hollow with a heart. Now I have seen everything!"

He looked up as Nemu re-entered the room, a jar with a bright glowing sphere inside of it.

"Ah yes, here it is." Mayuri took the object from his assitant.

"I know of your repeated refusals to eat souls, I believe we've already covered that." Mayuri's smile fell, "That is why I have this souku." he brought his hand holding the tube up to the girl's line of sight, " Since you don't seem to ever to eat them, I will just forcibly make you take the nourishments."

"N-no!" Furiae's body shook vigorously attempting to escape the horror that was to come. "Stop it…you can't! No, please!"

A small tear threatened to fall from her right eye.

Mayuri snarled and brought the jar he held in collision with the girl's face, "SILENCE!".

He began to smile again, "However will I work with all that racket. You there, go get a scapel."

Nemu nodded to him walking back to the equipment table and then returning to his side.

"I want you to make the incision on the test subject's abdomen."

The hollow girl lay in shock. She had stopped squirming and was now hopelessly looking at the scientist and his assistant hovering above her.

"Why are you doing this to me? Is it because I'm a monster? Or...is it" her voice became hot and raspy. "Yae...".

Mayuri smiled maliciously, his eyes lighting up with glee, " Yae? Is this another hollow, more like you? Yes, yes, if I get this 'Yae' then I could keep them without the court of pure souls knowing. I could experiment on them until my hearts content."

He lowered his face to the girl's, "Tell me girl, where is this 'Yae' you speak of?"

"Yae is not...he's..." her eyes became glazed and hollow as her mouth made less and less sense "...dead."

His face slipped into rage,

"Dead..."

Mayuri snapped his fingers.

Nemu raised the scapel over the body and plunged it into soft flesh.

Furiae let out a painful yell as she threw her head back. She could hear the ripping of her flesh as the scalpel worked its way inside of her. Despite the pain, her body lay still.

"My sedatives are such a miraculous invention," He chatted idly as he popped the top off the jar and hurried inserted on one end of the souku, "You can feel everthing but you are powerless to stop it- Make the incision wider."

Nemu jerked her hand making blood squirt up and hit her face.

The hollow screamed again, this time her eyes rolling back into her head. Furiae struggled to bring her body up but the sedative was too strong.

"ST-STOP!" she shrieked.

He cackled and jabbed the souko into the cut, "There is more than one way to feed a child that refuses to eat."

"Get the ties!" he yelled at his assistant

Nemu grabbed seven long red stips of red, handed two, to her master then began to tie legs and arms. Mayuri wrapped his around the stomach, the leather cutting into the wound, he wrapped one around the neck then one around the forhead.

Furiae sobbed, still fought, the weakening sedative, and now, the straps that bound her to the table.

"What...are...you trying...to do!" she grunted, straining against the bonding. "What…**WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT WITH ME!? **"

The hollow girl's eyes glinted red as she began to pant slightly. Growls erupted from her thought as her teeth lengthened and gnashed together.

"It's beautiful!" Mayuri grinned.

Furiae snapped at his hand that came closer to her face, Mayuri quickly pulled his injured hand back. Her pulse became in time with the thrust of her hips as she tried to lose the bounds that held her, the sedatives no longer reigning over her half transformed body.

Mayuri ripped of his injured fake arm, "The sedatives are wearing down go get two more—no, make that five more doses."

"But, master that will kill most subj-" Mayuri's hand collided with Nemu's face.

"Do as I say!"

Nemu scrabbled and hastily got out of the room.

The hollow's body lifted off the table, her convulses shaking the platform and the walls of the room. Mayuri's eyes widened as the binds around the girl's arms began to snap.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Yae carried the warm plate of cookies in his hands, the warm streams of steam curling visibly against the backdrop of the night sky._

_"Cookies, cookies, one for you, one for me. Cookies, cookies, all for you, all for me."_

_The boy stopped skipping, having already reached the selected destination._

_He knew this place even though the sign marking it as the cemetery had long since fallen over and been taken over by rogue weeds. Yae looked into the deepths of rowed granite and marble stone squares and let obsidian coloured eyes lock on the solitary figure sitting against the grave diggers shack._

_  
"And who might you be?" Yae breathily whispered._

_The figure looked up, the action causing the moonlight to dance on alabaster skin and fall into blue eyes that existed outside the spectrum of normal colours.There the moon stayed highlighting the free strands of red hair that caressed the currents of the air._

_Yae's breathing seemed to hitch and one word was uttered, "Furiae", as if it had been known all along._

"Wakey-up time, Wakey-up time, wakey up,up,uuup!"

The injured person groaned, either from the wounds that were barely healed or from the ugly voice that spewed such an obnoxious song.

"What the hell?" the figure smacked it's face and rubbed away the sands that collected in the corner of it's eyes.

"I see you are awake."

Yae stiffened at the voice, clenching the bed sheets with both hands.

"There is no-one who would hurt you...Well, not maliciously anyway."

The man leaned into the light, and Yae caught a brief glimpse of the man's eyes beneath the shadow cast by his white and green striped hat. Yae searched the man's face, as if looking for the answer to an unspoken question.

"I am Kisuke Urahara, the man that treated your wounds and bandaged you." he opened his fan and hid a smirk behind it.

Yae shuddered slighlty.

"While doing so I came across some unusal markings. I haven't told anyone about them yet but, I'll make sure to let them know as soo-"

"Please don't."

The request hung in the air and Urahara requarded Yae for a quite moment.

"How far would you go to keep your secrets?" Urahara asked leaning foward.

"How far would you go to keep yours?"

The man grinned again behind his fan,"I will not mention it to anybody. However I will aquire some services later to keep my mind off such information."

Yae squared his chin defiantly, "I am not that type of pers-"

"And I am not the type to molest children."

Both stared at each other, Yae with uneasy relief and Urahara with an unknown emotion.

"Can you tell me what happened to Furiae now?"

Urahara requarded the patient cooly, "If I do you'll just explode like you did last time."

Yae looked down at his hands,"I am in more control now."

"Hmm," The man said closing his fan, "I suppose it's safe to tell you."

He tilted his hat back so that he could look Yae in the eyes.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Yae shivered unexpectedly at the question, he gripped his arms and tried to stop his teeth from chattering. He breathed in and out and tried to calm down,

"I would give my life for her. She is my reason for living, her and searching for her happiness," Yae's eyes flashed dangerously, "and you _**dare**_ to question me if I want to hear where she is?!"

Urahara lowered his hat back down as Yae continued.

"And let me tell you, I know she's alive. If she were dead then person who killed her would have already been hand delivered to hell!"

The man frowned slightly; "Very well then," Urahara inched toward Yae as his voice turning into a loud whisper "she's been kidnapped."

Yae's eyes widened, then they slowly narrowed,

"By who?" he growled.

"The Soul Society."

Yae stood up from the bed quickly only to have Urahara push him back down

"Let me go! if she was really taken by them, then we don't have much time to get her back!"

"Calm down kid!" Urahara struggled to keep Yae down, "What makes you think we can just get up and go there?"

he looked down at the boy solemly, "Do you even know what Soul Society is?"

Yae shrugged off Urahara's hand and adjusted his robes,"Well from what I can gather it is a society of souls."

**  
**"Smart ass."

"And from what I've heard, I can guess that it's the home of death gods...or shinigami as they like to be called."

Urahara raised one eyebrow, " My, my, how would someone like you have gotten hold of information like that?" he smirked, "Would it have anything to do with the strange markings I found?"

**  
**Yae blushed heavily, "S-somewhat," he coughed and brought his attention back to the hat wearing man,"I've had the experience of strange teachers...the rest you will learn if fate permits it."

Urahara fanned himself as he and Yae entered into a staring contest. Yae was the first to break the silence. 

"How are the others, have they asked any questions? Have…have they told you how they feel about Furiae now?" 

Urahara tapped the fan to his chin in thought, "Oh you mean now that she is captur-" 

**  
**

"DON'T MESS WITH ME!!!" he was cut off as Yae grabbed him by the collar and brought them face to face, "You know damn well enough that Furiae is a hollow, and with that interesting attack that Ishida had I'm pretty sure he and the others know as well."

Urahara looked boredly around the room, "Well they haven't been thinking much about your situation," his eyes rested upon an occupied futon "seeing as Miss Kuchiki has been taken by Soul Society as well."

"What the hell is going on?" Yae looked down at the scowl that twisted the sleeping Ichigo's face, " How long has he been out?"

Urahara Looked over from his perch on the step, "Rukia's capture happened two nights after Furiae's capture, and it's been two days since then. So, he's been in and out of conciousness for two days."

Yae's eyes were still focused on the punk. He was covered in bruises and bandages and seemed close to death, yet he was snoring peacefully.

"So where is Ishida?" the boy looked up at Urahara.

"Everyone has split up."

"Split up? For what reason?"

"Hmmm..." Urahara lolled his head in the direction of Yae," well it seems that you are not that only one eager to get to Soul Society."

Yae leaned forward "You mean there are more people that know about this?"

Urahara was about to speak but was interrupted by the sound of rustling of sheets.

"Uggghh."

Ichigo sat up slightly holding his abdomen. Yae and Urahara turned to look at him.

"Ru-Rukia, where is she?"

Urahara sighed, "Geez, how many times do I have to explain this."

Ichigo listened as Urahara told him everything he had explained to Yae, minus the secret bits.

"Oh yeah," he responded with a breathy voice, "I remember now. That Captain what's-his-face took Rukia."

He stood up, ignoring the pain in his body.

"Well then, I guess I'll have to go and get her."

Yae rushed next to him.

"I'm coming with you!"

Ichigo looked down at the boy.

"No, its too dangerous."

Yae narrowed his eyes, " And your point is?"

"Look kid, you don't even know what's been going on--"

"Fuu-chan and Rukia have been stolen by that 'Soul Society' place. Fuu-chan for her differences and Rukia for a reason probably concerning why you wear the robes of a shinigami."

Ichigo gaped like a fish," How di-"

"I saw you before I passed out."

Yae crossed his arms huffily and looked through his bangs, "I'm going, and there is nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me!" he stomped his foot for good measure.

"Excellent, excellent! Now that it is decided that you both shall go, maybe we shall deal with how you'll get there, and exactly what you will do when you get there." Urahara's eyes glinted from beneath the shadow of his hat.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ishida looked around at his surroundings. He had traveled deep into the woods to isolate himself.

"Perfect, I can train here without any bothering me. Now-"

"HEY THERE HE IS!"

The Quincy sharply turned to see who had yelled only to spot Orihime and Chad followed by a black cat.

"Hey! Ishida-kun!" Orhime waved as they moved toward him.

"M-Miss Inoue and... Chad?" Ishida said with surprise while adjusting his glasses. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," Orihime began "we thought that you might like to train with us so we can be strong enough to go to Soul Society!"

"Who would be teaching you two?" he inquired, doubtful that the two were going to train on their own.

"Oh, our teacher is Mr. Yoruichi. He's with us right now."

Ishida's eyes became alert as he jerked his head back and forth. "Has he covered his presence somehow? I can't sense him at all!"

"It is I."

Ishida looked behind him to see a sleek black cat.

"Wha-what is this?!"

"A kitty." Chad and Orihime said in unison.

"I know **THAT** but why is it talking?!"

Yoruichi scoffed. "Hm, just because a cat talked. What a disgrace."

"GAHHH STOP TALKING!!!" he swatted at the cat that then jumped from his reach.

"Ishida-kun, what's wrong with a talking cat?" Orhime asked him.

"Well it is a little unusual..." Chad quietly mumbled.

"Anyways," Orhime smiled "you're planning to rescue Rukia and Fuu-chan, right? So you should train with us!"

Ishida turned his head down slightly. "Sorry Miss Inoue but I must decline your offer."

"Oh but Ishida-kun, Mr. Yoruichi is a really good teacher!"

"Its not that I doubt Mr. Yoruichi's power," He looked into Orihime's eyes. "it's just that I prefer to train alone. Besides, I have no intention of rescuing Miss Kuchiki or Miss Asato. They mean nothing to me."

"Ishida-kun," Orhime said, her voice becoming soft "if you change your mind then let me know. We'll be waiting for you." and with that the group left him.

_"I'm sorry Orhime, but this training can't be witnessed by anyone..."_

He listened intently until the footfalls of the intruders died down completely. He brought his hands together, breathing deeply.

"I must get stronger."

Ishida cringed as a mental image of Furiae's aguished faced flittered through his mind

"No! I must do this for my Master! I musn't allow myself to be beaten by the shinigami!" He tried to ignore the quilt that slowly began to ebb away at him.

He was a Quincy.  
And by the honor of a Quincy, he would not feel sorrow for a hollow.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mr.Yoruichi, will Ishida-kun be okay? He was acting kind of strange." Orihime swung her arms to and fro as she walked beside the cat.

"I do not know Inoue-san, however that excuse about wanting to train alone stunk with lies."

"Why do you say that Mr.Yoruichi?"

Chad cocked his head slightly showing that he wanted to know the answer as well.

Yoruichi stopped underneath the shade of a nearby maple and licked his paws

"Quincys as they once were, were very secretive. He probably didn't train with us not so much because he did not want to, but because he needed to. Do not worry, Miss Inoue, I'm sure that he will be just fine."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tell me again, Nemu, how many souls has she eaten today?"

"Twenty five, sir."

Mayuri laughed, a crazed grin reflected in his eyes.

"Good, good. I knew she wouldn't hold out on her hunger for too long."  
He grabbed a jar from his desk and handed it to his assistant. "Give her this one too. We'll have to gather more souls if her eating habits keep up like this."

Nemu took the jar and bowed as she exited the room. Moments later she was making her way through a dark torch lit staircase. Nemu headed towards Furiae's cell, jar in hand, and gently began to remove the top.

"I have brought you another meal."

Furiae's eyes fixated on the source of the voice that uttered the word 'meal'…


End file.
